Putin says Russia will target foreign troops deployed to Ukraine
Vladimir Putin warned US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff that Russia would target any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine, calling the arrival of peacekeeping forces a continuation of the war. In talks at the Kremlin on Thursday, he also refused to compromise on Moscow’s territorial demands, insisting that Russia must retain full control of the four Ukrainian regions it claims to have annexed. The stance weakened hopes of a peace agreement before the end of 2026, despite Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s assessment that a window for a deal remained open.
The meeting was also intended to bring Europe more directly into future negotiations. Witkoff said European representatives would participate in the next round, while the US envoys planned to travel to Dublin to brief Zelenskyy. More than 45 European leaders were gathering there for the European Political Community summit, but EU governments remained divided over whether to appoint a single negotiator. Kaja Kallas argued that existing European security agreements already provide the necessary framework and said discussions about a new security architecture risked distracting from the need for a ceasefire. Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz likewise questioned whether choosing an envoy should take priority before Putin agrees to substantive talks.
At the same time, Zelenskyy said renewed restrictions on Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service were weakening Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian drone attacks. The disruptions involved Starshield, the military version of Starlink funded by the Pentagon.
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